We Are The People Podcast

The vast majority of us follow a well-trodden path when it comes to what we do with our lives, we may take an unexpected diversion here and there but by and large we follow in the footsteps of where others have gone before.  Stephen Carton grew up in Dublin, went to school in Dublin and completed a degree and masters in Engineering in Trinity College… you can probably fill in the gaps from here, r...

I think it is interesting to hear what people wanted to be when they were children because it gives an insight into what they were like then and as their story unfolds we can get a sense of how they have developed. The truth is, most of us give up on that childhood dream early on, but not everybody does… James Timmons always wanted to be a footballer. It informed how he spent his lunch time break,...

The world is made up of characters, that’s what makes it so interesting. We all approach life in slightly different ways leading to experiences and stories that help us to stay connected with one another.  Rebecca Proctor has always been sure of who she was and where she was going… she may not necessarily have known how it was going to turn out but she wasn’t going to shrink to the shadows. Whethe...

Paraic Keenan has always done things his way, he made his choices and he saw them through, having the courage to pivot if required. Be that asking for help when stuck in a ditch, building his career instead of going to college or abandoning his corporate lifestyle in favour of sea swimming and self discovery, he trusted things would work out and they did. His experiences have made him the man he i...

John Clendennen is a local councillor from the small village of Kinnitty in Offaly.  At one stage the world was his oyster but today John is more likely to bring oysters to Kinnitty. He grew up surrounded by people in the family pub and it is no wonder that he has gone on to follow in his father’s footsteps… taking over the family business and making a name for himself in politics. John has an int...

A footballer and a writer are at two very different ends of the career spectrum. For a footballer their end product is based on split second, instinctive decisions, whereas a writer is contemplative and reasoned in their approach. Or are they? Gavin Colton’s story challenges these potential misconceptions. He grew up in Leixlip, just outside Dublin and dreamed of being a footballer. He became a TV...

Pallavi Pande had an idea based on childhood nostalgia. She grew up in India and now lives with her husband and two kids in Portland, Oregon. Her company, Dtocs, creates tableware from naturally fallen palm leaves and has won a NEXTY at the Natural Food Expo for the most innovative new sustainable product on the market. Pallavi tells me about being a mompreneur, raising brand ambassadors, supporti...

Usually, when we think about people and their stories it is the older generations that spring to mind as the gold mines. However, my next guest has seen and done so much and is only 28. Kieran Walsh is married with two kids, he works in a local hospital and dreamed of buying his own home. So far so straight forward. I came across Kieran on Twitter when I followed his podcast “Reeling in your ears”...

Teegan Maguire is a friend of mine. She has an extremely successful career, she is 35, she owns her own flat, she is single, she lives in London, she is from Clones, a small village in Ireland.  Teegan takes on societal norms and faces them down, choosing the route that is right for her rather than the one offered up as the path most trodden. She speaks openly about children, societal pressure, ho...

Episode Summary Virginie Laveau shares a deeply personal story of early independence, debilitating anxiety, and healing through service and travel. From living alone as a teenager to leaving her dream job due to panic attacks, Virginie reflects on how India, chosen family, and working with autistic children helped her reconnect with life and purpose. Virginie talks about:  Growing up too fast and...

Dean Clarke dreamed of becoming a professional footballer and he lived that dream for over 10 years in Ireland. However, the realities of his dream life are a far cry from the fame and fortune you would associate with being a professional footballer. If I offered you a job, your dream job, and told you the salary would make it hard to get by and your contract would only last for 10 months of the y...

Jill Godsil created an idyllic life for herself and her family before divorce, bankruptcy and home repossession shattered that life.  She was down but not out and somehow found the fight within to strike back and change Ireland's legislation while she was at it. Jill Godsil has an inspiring story that is overflowing with enthusiasm, life lessons and plenty of unexpected twists. Let me know yo...

Kunal landed in Dublin on the 13th of January 2015 with €1,000 in his pocket, 80kg of luggage and an address on Mountjoy Square. He quickly ran out of money, went without food for 3 days at a time and could not find a job... any job, but her persevered. Kunal tells us what he thinks of the Irish welcome and how he has to work harder to prove himself but ultimately he thinks it has worked in his fa...

Kunal Gandhi came to Ireland from India, leaving behind his friends, family and a very comfortable life. Before he tells us about his experience in Ireland, I wanted to know what it was like growing up in India. It is a culture that fascinates the world, and the internet gives us a glimpse into what it may be like, but I wanted to hear it from Kunal in his own words. Those words are filled with pa...

In March 2018 my friend James Lundy died suddenly, his anniversary is a painful time, filled with sadness and grief but it is also our opportunity to speak about James and ensure he comes along life’s journey with us. Whether you knew James or not, I want this episode to celebrate James's life and to act as a reminder to all of us to cherish what we have, because life is fleeting and can disa...

Saoirse Fitzgerald has lived a life full of surprising turns. Some of them beautiful, some of them heartbreaking, all of them shaped by a steady trust in her own instinct. In this conversation she brings us from childhood days spent painting and dressing up her little sister, through dreams of the Rose of Tralee, the shock of her family home burning down, the spiral of failing exams, and the coura...

Over fifteen years ago, John and Elaine, along with their three sons, decided to forego their usual Christmas presents in favour of giving that money to people who needed it more. But to who? There are plenty of very deserving charities who would willingly accept their donations… but instead John and Elaine, inspired by their friends in Malawi decided to create their own charity, they called it Ch...

Have you ever had an idea you'd love to pursue but real life gets in the way? Colm O'Toole had an idea and went for it. A chance rejection sent him to Lyon in France where his desire to learn French took him on an adventure of a lifetime. In the heart of Lyon he found a community, opened an Irish bar and found a new appreciation for life. Let me know your thoughts on this eposide Website...

Pete Cogavin is a teacher and musician living in London. His dream was to play the guitar and have the crowd sing along with him, he achieved this and plenty more. From playing to a television audience of over 20 million people to headlining a French music festival attended by over 15,000, to realising his passion for teaching was going to have to go hand in hand with his love for music, Pete&apos...

Moia Rowsome is a former teacher who now works for Twitter in online learning, her journey to this point took many turns, each one a learning opportunity and many worth sharing. Moia tells me how feeling lost drove her to follow her dream of becoming a famous musician. Her quest for purpose, her willingness to make sacrifices and her work ethic mean she now has a whole host of memories and experie...

Ger Barron was a goalkeeper for Glasgow Celtic and UCD, that is how he saw himself and, perhaps more importantly, that is how he felt the world saw him.  Ger talks about the anxiety and pressure he felt every time he stepped onto the field, an anxiety that struck as a feeling in his stomach during matches but that would go on to consume him. This is a story about someone doing their job, who one d...